oldest older brother

So my oldest older brother is in town for a couple days. We’ll call him Max. It is GREAT! We don’t see each other near enough, but I have been the luckiest of his 3 siblings to get to see Max more often due to my fabulous military training. It’s sad that our families aren’t closer considering how close we all are. That first closer is in terms to proximity. Our family is really a rare breed. I see so many people who rarely, if ever, talk to their siblings or parents – those people who spend holidays with friends instead of venturing home because going home would be so traumatic. I know mom gets really annoyed with our loving teasing but I think it would be worse if no one was around. I know last year when I didn’t come home for Thanksgiving it was odd. I cleaned my house, put up my tree, watched CSI, but I wasn’t with family and it was really weird. So I am so very thankful for these times together – however brief and heated with our ‘discussions’ are, Max and I still get along great. We argue but it’s completely out of love and respect. We’ll banter back and forth – Catholicism vs. Lutheranism – and still we hug and are saddened when the time comes to part. It really is a great blessing to be able to have these opportunities.